What Is the Maca Powder Use in Hindi?

Maca (Lepidium meyenii Walp.) (Spanish: Maca) is the rhizome of Lepidium meyenii Walp., a plant in the Brassicaceae family. It is also known as beetroot or Peruvian ginseng. Native to the high Andes of South America, its fleshy root is short-conical in shape, with a purple, cream or yellow outer skin [1]. The plant is nutrient-rich and has immune-enhancing effects such as strengthening the body, improving sexual function, combating fatigue, anti-aging, boosting immunity, regulating endocrine function, and relieving joint and nerve pain [2-9]. It is a natural plant that can be used for both food and medicine. This paper organizes and summarizes recent research on maca in terms of chemical composition and pharmacological activity, with the aim of providing an experimental basis for the rational development and utilization of maca resources.

1 Chemical composition

Maca dry sample contains 12. 31% protein, 32. 57% crude fiber, 0. 92% fat, 314. 97 mg · kg-1 Vc, 1818 mg · kg-1 calcium, iron 81. 2 mg · kg-1, zinc 23. 8 mg · kg-1, potassium 18. 7 mg · kg-1, phosphorus 1895 mg · kg-1 and many other nutrients. The fatty acids contain 38. 64% linoleic acid, 26.46% linolenic acid, 17.73% palmitic acid, and 14.04% amino acids. The unsaturated fatty acids are essential fatty acids that lower blood clot formation, prevent cardiovascular disease, and promote the normal development of brain tissue and retina. In 1994, Dini first reported that maca root contains natural active ingredients such as alkaloids, glucosinolates and their decomposition products such as benzyl isothiocyanate, sterols and polyphenols. These ingredients have the effects of strengthening the body, improving sleep quality, regulating the body's endocrine system, improving the quality and vitality of reproductive cells and anti-oxidation [3].

2 Pharmacological activity

2.1  Improves sexual function

Cicero et al. [4] used an activity cage test to examine the sexual function parameters of rats before and after oral administration of maca, and found that both the high and low doses of maca significantly reduced the first mount latency (ML), first intro- mission latency (IL), ejaculation latency (EL), and post- ejaculatory latency ( PEL) latency, while high doses of maca can also reduce the interval (intercopulatory interval, ICI), indicating that maca can significantly improve sexual function parameters and enhance sexual behavior in male rats, whether in acute or chronic oral administration. Melnikovova et al. [5] tested the effect of maca on male fertility in a double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled pilot trial. found that after 12 weeks of maca treatment, there was no significant change in hormone levels, but the sperm concentration and motility showed an upward trend compared to the placebo, suggesting that maca has the effect of improving male fertility.

2. 2 Anti-fatigue effect

Ding Zhenbin [6] randomly divided 40 athletes into 2 groups. The athletes in the observation group took maca extract oral solution daily, while the athletes in the control group took a placebo. Biochemical indicators related to exercise fatigue were tested, including creatine kinase (creatine kinase, CK), blood urea nitrogen (blood urea nitrogen, BUN), hemoglobin (HGB) in the blood, free testosterone (FT) in the serum, and erythropoietin (EPO); at the same time, the athletes' most intuitive fatigue feelings were assessed through a questionnaire survey, including mental state, body sensations, sleep, diet, exercise enthusiasm, and other aspects. It was found that the fatigue-related indicators in the plasma of athletes taking maca extract were significantly lower, and erythropoietin, testosterone, hemoglobin and creatine kinase were significantly higher. In addition, the fatigue state after training was significantly reduced, indicating that maca extract can effectively relieve exercise-induced fatigue in athletes.

Tang et al. [10] used a mouse weight-bearing swimming model to evaluate the anti-fatigue effect of maca polysaccharide (MP). The results showed that a medium dose of MP (>50 mg/(kg·d)) could effectively prolong the swimming time of mice, accelerate the average swimming speed (1–5 min), and improve the biochemical indicators of mouse plasma. High-dose MP (100 mg/(kg·d)) can increase glutathione peroxidase and creatine kinase activity, reduce lactate dehydrogenase activity, and reduce blood urea nitrogen, lactic acid, and malondialdehyde, indicating that maca has an anti-fatigue effect.

2. 3 Immune enhancement

Gan Jin [11] used in vitro antioxidant evaluation methods such as superoxide anion radical scavenging capacity, hydroxyl radical scavenging capacity, reducing antioxidant capacity and lipid oxidation inhibition capacity to analyze the antioxidant activity of maca extracts in methanol and ethanol of different concentrations. The results showed that maca has obvious in vitro antioxidant activity. The active tracking method found that the part with stronger antioxidant activity of maca is the polar part of trichloromethane. The antioxidant activity of the methanol part of maca and its column-separated components was further verified using the H2O2-induced damage cell protection evaluation method. It was found that the column-separated components had a significant protective effect on cells damaged by oxidation, which indicates that maca has antioxidant properties.

Zhang Yongzhong et al. [12] tested the effect of maca ethanol extract on mouse immune function and found that maca ethanol extract can significantly increase the lymphocyte transformation rate induced by PHA in mice, significantly increase the content of serum hemolysin and the number of antibody-forming cells in the spleen, indicating that maca ethanol extract can enhance the cellular and humoral immune function of mice.

Yu Longjiang et al. [13] established a model of naturally aging mice and orally administered maca extract for 60 days to detect the activities of glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) and the content of malondialdehyde ( MDA) content, and the hydroxyproline level in mouse skin was detected. Immune function was also assessed by the immune organ index and the PHA-induced lymphocyte transformation test. The results showed that maca ethanol extract can significantly increase the glutathione peroxidase activity in the liver and heart of aging mice, as well as the superoxide dismutase activity in the serum and liver. and can increase the hydroxyproline content in the skin, reduce the malondialdehyde content in the serum and liver, and significantly increase the lymphocyte transformation rate in mice, indicating that maca's ethanol extract has the function of improving the metabolism of free radicals, anti-aging and enhancing immunity in mice.

2. 4    Endocrine-modulating effect

Zhang et al. [14] treated 50 female SD rats with maca extract and measured the levels of hormones such as estradiol (E2), testosterone (T) and follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) in the serum using radioimmunoassay. The results showed that after 12 weeks of administration of maca extract, the serum E2 level of the rats was higher than that of the ovariectomized (OVX) control group, the T level decreased significantly, and the FSH level was higher than that of the sham surgery group. After 28 weeks of maca extract administration, there was no significant difference in the serum E2 level of the rats compared with the sham surgery group. A low dose of maca can increase the serum E2 level, and the serum FSH level of the maca group was significantly lower than that of the ovariectomized group.

This indicates that long-term maca use can regulate the endocrine hormone balance in ovariectomized rats, especially by lowering FSH levels. Wang Kai et al. [15] used hydrocortisone injection [32 mg/(kg·d)] to replicate a kidney yang deficiency pre-mature ovarian failure (POF) model in 40 adult mature rats, and then treated them with maca powder. The results showed that high-dose maca powder [5 g/(kg·d)] significantly improved the ovarian index and the levels of E2, FSH, and LH in rats, while low-dose maca powder [2.5 g/(kg·d)] significantly improved the ovarian index and the level of luteinizing hormone (LH) in the serum. This shows that maca can regulate the levels of endocrine hormones in rats.

2. 5  Improves memory function

Rubio et al. [16] used scopolamine to induce memory impairment to establish a model. Treatment with black maca hydroalcoholic extract and black maca water extract was found to significantly improve scopolamine-induced memory impairment through Morris water maze and electric jump platform tests. Measurements of brain acetylcholinesterase (AChE) and monoamine oxidase (MAO) activity in brain tissue revealed that black maca extract can inhibit brain acetylcholinesterase (AChE) activity, indicating that maca has the effect of improving memory in mice.

2. 6 Anti-osteoporosis effect

Xiao Mengmeng et al. [17] used retinoic acid (100 mg·kg-1) to establish a mouse osteoporosis model, and administered etidronate sodium (60 mg·kg-1), maca ethanol extract (EE), maca aqueous extract (AE), Maca n-butanol soluble part (N-butanol soluble part, BP), Maca ethyl acetate part (ethylacetate soluble part, EAP), Maca petroleum ether part (petroleum ether soluble part, PEP) treatment, and then measure the content of serum calcium, bone calcium, bone phosphorus, etc. The results showed that EE can increase the serum calcium, bone calcium, bone phosphorus and ALP levels of mice with osteoporosis model, AE can improve the lumbar vertebrae microstructure, bone calcium content and bone density of model mice, BP can significantly improve the spleen coefficient, bone microstructure and bone phosphorus content of mice, and EAP can significantly increase bone calcium content. The above research results show that Maca has an anti-osteoporosis effect on mice.

2. 7    Reduce stress, relieve anxiety and depression

Brooks et al. [18] used a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, cross-over experiment to examine the effect of maca on psychological symptoms in postmenopausal women after 6 weeks of treatment (3.5 g/d). The results of the Greene Menopause Scale test showed that the scores of postmenopausal women treated with maca in the psychological symptom domain (including the anxiety and depression subscales) and sexual dysfunction were significantly lower than those at baseline and those of the placebo group. suggesting that maca can relieve psychological symptoms such as anxiety and depression in postmenopausal women. Rubio et al. [19] established a model of ovariectomized mice and treated them with different varieties of maca. The results of the water-finding task latency test and the antidepressant activity (forced swimming) test showed that the black maca group performed best in the water-finding task, and that in the forced swimming test, all three varieties of maca were effective in reducing immobility time. The above studies show that maca has the effect of relieving anxiety and depression and releasing stress.

2. 8 Antiviral effect

Del Valle Mendoza J et al. [20] infected Madin-Darby canine kidney (MDCK) cells with human influenza A virus (Flu-A) and human influenza B virus (Flu-B) in vitro, and assessed the toxic effect of maca extract on MDCK cells by measuring the 50% cytotoxic concentration (CC50) index using the MTT method. The antiviral activity of maca extract was measured by observing the cytopathic effect and a multiple RT-PCR inhibition test. The results showed that maca extract can inhibit the replication of influenza virus in MDCK cells, and that the viral nucleoprotein or viral load in MDCK cells gradually decreases with increasing maca concentration, indicating that maca has antiviral properties.

2. 9 Hypoglycemic effect

María E R [21] divided male rats into 4 groups: the first group was the control group, the second group was given 4 g/d of maca powder, the third group was given 6 g/d of maca powder, and the fourth group was given 10 mg/kg of glibenclamide daily for 46 days. Blood glucose and body weight were measured daily. It was found that taking maca powder (4-6 g/d) can reduce blood glucose by 50% in diabetic rats, increase insulin levels by 22%, and improve vitamin C levels, indicating that maca has the effect of lowering blood glucose in rats.

2. 10 Inhibits benign prostatic hyperplasia

Zou [22] and others used testosterone propionate to induce a mouse model of benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) and treated it with maca extract. By measuring the prostate index, prostate acid phosphatase, estradiol, testosterone and dihydrotestosterone, it was found that maca extract can reduce the prostate index, prostate acid phosphatase, estradiol, testosterone and dihydrotestosterone, indicating that maca extract can inhibit benign prostatic hyperplasia in mice.

3 Conclusion

Maca is rich in a variety of nutrients and active substances, and has various effects on the human body, such as antioxidant, immune enhancement, blood glucose regulation, and antiviral effects. In recent years, it has been used as an ingredient in the production of internationally acclaimed health foods. However, the chemical composition and pharmacological activity of maca have not been studied in depth, and the effective ingredients and their mechanisms of action need to be further clarified in order to elucidate the pharmacological basis of its efficacy and establish stable and reliable quality control standards. This will provide the necessary scientific basis for the development and utilization of maca resources.

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